TWITTER trolls told soap star Hayley Tamaddon to “put it away” after she posted a picture of her baby bump.
But the Corrie and Emmerdale actress, 42, said she was proud to show off the bump she never thought she would have.
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She tweeted: “I’m quite happy keeping it out, thanks.”
Hayley had feared she was infertile but announced last month she was expecting – and is now 24 weeks pregnant.
But it is not just celebrities who get bump-shamed or suffer constant comments on their growing bellies.
Lynsey Hope speaks to four women who are also 24 weeks into their pregnancies and have proudly bared their bumps.
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‘I have a miracle growing inside’
NURSE Deja Ainsworth, 24, is single and lives near Brixton, South London. She is expecting her first baby. She says:
I have to admit that I have found the weight gain a challenge.
I’ve always been a size 10/12 and while I was expecting to put on weight, didn’t think I would be as big as I am now.
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My stretch marks are severe. I had a few on my tummy before I even got pregnant, but they have turned really dark and are very noticeable.
All the time people will say to me, “Wow, you have really bad stretch marks.”
Everyone recommends different lotions and creams.
At first, I was really insecure about it.
If you look at bump photos on Instagram, most people have tiny little perfect bellies.
No one posts pictures of their stretch marks, even though it’s a reality for so many women.
It’s not right that people should bump-shame me because of a few lines.
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I’ve chosen to embrace my bump.
There is a miracle growing inside, after all, and no one should be able to comment on how it looks or tell me to cover it up.
Any woman should be able to bare her bump if she wants to and I’m proud to show mine – stretch marks and all.
I see it in the same light as breastfeeding. It’s a natural thing and should be celebrated.
Being pregnant is an amazing gift. Who cares if you put on a bit of weight and have a few stretch marks?
You should be proud and if you want to, show it off to the world.
‘I love the way I look in photos’
QUALITY improvement manager Aiche Ali, 39, lives in Sudbury, Suffolk, with husband Nelson, 42, a dentist, and her son Tommy, two. She says:
Pregnancy is a wonderful gift but it does come with its ups and downs.
This is my second baby. I’m expecting a girl this time and I’ve felt a lot more nauseous.
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When I was pregnant with my son I carried him all round my body.
My bump was very big and pushed out to the sides.
This time, the baby is all at the front and if you see me from the back you can’t really tell if I’m pregnant.
I didn’t have stretch marks from my first pregnancy but as this baby is pushing my skin forward, I think I will get a few by the end of the nine months.
It wouldn’t stop me from wanting to show my bump to the world.
Every pregnancy is a miracle and all mums-to-be should be proud to show off their bodies.
It doesn’t matter what your bump looks like, whether it’s big, small, covered in stretch marks or looks like a football.
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Not every woman gets the chance to carry a baby.
I have posted lots of pictures on social media, particularly during my first pregnancy, as I liked to show how much I was growing.
Fortunately, all the comments I received were positive.
I would have been very upset if people had put nasty messages or if I found out they said things behind my back.
I love how I look when I see these photos.
I couldn’t be prouder of my pregnancy body and want to show my bump to the world.
‘If I get stretch marks, it’s fine’
JOANNE JONES, 32, a full-time mum, lives in Daventry, Northants, with husband Leighton, 40, and son, Phoenix, 16 months. She says:
I absolutely love being pregnant. Before I got pregnant with Phoenix, I was working as a ballroom dancer.
I was doing lots of shows and was very fit and toned – and only a size six to eight.
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Second time around, my bump is a little bigger, but it’s still quite small.
People always tell me I have a very neat bump.
Sometimes I’ve worried about the baby because of my size.
I have to remind myself not to listen and that I’m small and everything is perfectly healthy.
Regardless of how big or small your bump is, women should be able to show it off if they want to.
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I wouldn’t necessarily walk down the street with my belly on show, but if I went to the beach or to a swimming pool, I wouldn’t think twice about showing it off.
Just because a woman is pregnant, that doesn’t mean you should hide away or cover it up. This is 2019 after all.
It’s a huge gift to carry a baby and I love it when people ask to feel or look at my bump. My husband loves it too.
I would prefer it if I didn’t end up with stretch marks but if I do, that’s fine.
Having a baby is worth the toll it puts on your body. It’s all part of the journey you go through and we should learn to love our bodies all the more for any imperfections we have.
‘I feel sexier than ever’
CHARLOTTE FYE, 27, lives in Hitchin, Herts, with her fiancé Andrew, 38, who is a company director. Charlotte is expecting her first child and says:
I’m really embracing my pregnancy and the change in my body.
I don’t even mind the maternity clothes too much – there are so many great brands now.
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My bump is getting quite big but I don’t feel ashamed of my size.
When I went out for dinner with Andrew last week, the waitress asked me how far gone I was.
When I said I was only just over half way, she said I looked very big.
I found it quite upsetting that she felt she could comment on my bump.
People will say, “Ooh, you’ve put on weight,” or “You look big,” but no one would dream of saying these things to a woman if she wasn’t pregnant.
No one should be ashamed of their bump and whether the bump is big or small, women should be proud to show them off.
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Certainly no one should bump-shame a pregnant woman.
They wouldn’t be here today if their mum hadn’t had a nice big bump for nine months.
I didn’t announce I was pregnant until after we had the 20-week scan and at that time, I posted some bump photos on social media.
I don’t feel ashamed to show it off and even if I do end up with stretch marks, I plan to wear them with pride.
I loved baring my bump in this photoshoot. I didn’t think I’d ever feel sexy being pregnant, but actually, I feel sexier than ever.
